Spartanburg County organizations announce countywide work-based learning partnership for law and public service

The Institute for Youth Justice and OneSpartanburg, Inc. announced today a concerted effort that will provide high-schoolers across Spartanburg County an opportunity to explore the local justice system through a new community-wide work-based learning initiative aimed at creating a strategic career pathway into law, civic service, and the judicial system through expanded internship opportunities within these areas.

This unique partnership that highlights both the Institute for Youth Justice’s strong history of introducing students to the justice system, connecting them with officials in multiple roles, and strengthening civic relationships through education and OneSpartanburg Inc.’s ongoing focus on employer-facing talent workforce development will be able to connect students who are interested in these types of careers to meaningful work-placed learning experiences. 

In total, the partnership aims to create 50 work-based learning experiences for students within the judicial system.

“We are excited to embark on this new partnership with OneSpartanburg, Inc, as well as continue to build upon our ongoing partnerships within the local school districts and our justice system, to expand these opportunities to even more students across the County,” said Hope Blackley, Founder of the Institute for Youth Justice.

The Institute for Youth Justice is a five-month leadership training program that seeks to help students gain a deeper understanding of the inner-workings of the Justice System, eliminate misconceptions, build long-lasting partnerships between youth and criminal justice officials, and empower Spartanburg County youth to become positive contributors and leaders in our community. Since its inception in 2016, the Institute for Youth Justice has provided more than 100 eleventh and twelfth grade students across Spartanburg County School Districts 1-7, private schools as well as home school groups, with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the judicial system, to explore possible careers in the sector, and to use their voices to improve their communities. 

“We know through our work that early career exposure is vital in helping students plan for their futures. Through this unique partnership, we are able to offer internships to even more students, beyond our current program’s capacity, and believe that this will create an even bigger long-term impact for students and our local justice system as a whole,” said Blackley.

For the past two years, OneSpartanburg, Inc., has focused efforts to create and track work-based learning opportunities like internships, apprenticeships, and more, for students from high schools across the County. 

In summer 2024, employers committed to 203 of these placements. That number rose to 556 in summer 2025, and will eclipse 600 total for the summer of 2026.

Taylor Dement, OneSpartanburg, Inc. vice president of talent strategy, said the partnership showcases a collaborative spirit that runs deep across Spartanburg County.

"Internships are critical experiences for students, but they also offer a practical recruitment pipeline for both private-and public-sector employers," he said. "That in turn makes these kinds of work-based learning opportunities a key step on a pathway to a thriving career and economic mobility."